Be Still, My Heart
The Sharp Ease
by Dean “Mr. Last Minute” Bonzani
11.1.04
Holy shit!
Okay, that’s all I’ve got to say about The Sharp Ease. Why go on and on, when a simple colorful euphemism really does the job?
The Sharp Ease kick out the kind of watertight, crunchy, pop-heavy rock that these here parts need like they need water. Take that to the bank and cash it, kiddies.
Singer Paloma invokes shades of Julie Brown, B-52’s, Souxie Soux, P.J. Harvey, David Byrne, Jonathan Richmond and Jenny Sincero with her careening vocal delivery and quirky melodic interpretations on offbeat topics like personal floatation devices, and more familiar lyrical ground like relationships, hanging out, and California. Accompanied by rowdy shout alongs, Paloma’s limber voice shifts from husky sensuality to chirpy staccato and back. She’s got a fierce set of pipes and she’s out to see how many different sounds she can wrangle out of them.
Paloma met her future bandmates while working at an L.A. club, The Smell. Fervent music fans, they found that they shared common goals and decided to form a band. Bassist Dana B. and guitarist Sara, after a stint with temporary drummers gleaned from the ranks of their friends, were later joined by drummer Christene. The result is a wall of glorious, energetic rock that harkens back to the ‘77-’83 era of wide open possibilities that the Ramones and the Sex Pistols made possible, while managing to sound completely original and fresh.
©2005 by Dean Bonzani, All Rights Reserved